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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 120 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  2. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  3. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  4. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  5. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  6. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  7. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  8. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  9. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  10. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  11. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  12. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  13. The King held a masked ________________.
  14. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  15. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  16. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  17. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  18. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  19. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  20. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  21. Have you met the new head ________________?
  22. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  23. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  24. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. current — of water
  2. stick — to attach or keep to
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. current — happening now
  5. pound — to hit hard
  6. kick — in football
  7. ball — a round shape
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. mine — belonging to me
  10. mine — an explosive
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. coach — pulled by horses
  13. ball — a dance
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. mine — for digging
  17. pound — a weight
  18. mouse — for a computer
  19. current — electric
  20. kick — a thrill
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. pound — for dogs
  23. kick — with a leg
  24. ball — a great time

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com